Welcome back for more speculation! Today continues the new final series of possibilities for Obama's v.p.
This series began with a new top 14 list of names I considered most likely to be named Obama's v.p. running mate, and we'll eliminate the bottom vote-getter each day until there is a winner, or a real-life winner is named by Obama. Starting today, candidates will be listed in order of votes from the previous poll, from most to least, so we'll have some idea of preference in this thread's voting should Obama decide before there is a series winner. Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) was eliminated in the previous round.
Please discuss any v.p. candidates in the comments. The most correct format would be to state their name, unless you have further comments. I'm happy to hear all ideas in this open thread, and I'm no official gatekeeper, so play nice.
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My personal favorite running mate for Obama remains Fmr. Sen. Sam Nunn (GA). After that, I'd have to go with Sen. Russ Feingold (WI), Govs. Tim Kaine (VA) and Kathleen Sebelius (KS), all tied. I still think Nunn has a slight edge in likeliness. Although, I should say that in the last week I received some information which leads me to believe that it could very well be Gov. Sebelius. Y'all oughta know I'm no kind of political insider, and I don't want to say too much about it, but suffice it to say that it involves somebody who might have a good idea about the decision from the Sebelius end expressing some (possibly overenthusiastic) confidence in Sebelius to me rather indirectly, perhaps without meaning to, and I perceived it as a strong hint, which was repeated exactly the same way shortly thereafter. I'm convinced the GOP v.p. nominee will be Gov. Mark Sanford (SC).
I'm also not including some who might make good choices, but probably not in 2008, though I know some may disagree, notably: Sen. John Kerry (MA), who I like for Secretary of State or Defense or another position, Govs. Christine Gregoire (WA) and Brian Schweitzer (MT), who need to run for reelection and Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA), my senator who I like, while not always agreeing with her on everything, because I feel that ticket would be too easily caricatured as the most liberal ticket in the universe and etc., etc. I know, I shouldn't be influenced by that likelihood, but I think that ticket would have too many liabilities not outweighed by possible electoral strengths. (I think that about some other names I've included anyway, but they've done very well in polling, so that's how they got their pass.) And Govs. Ted Strickland (OH) and Ed Rendell (PA) have completely ruled out serving, as have senatorial candidate Fmr. Gov. Mark Warner and Sen. Jim Webb (VA), along with Fmr. Sen. Bill Bradley (NJ), and Gen. James L. Jones seems to support McCain, so they've been retired from polling here.
I've made the editorial decision to keep Sen. Joe Biden (MBNA) active despite his revealing that he had not been asked to submit information to Obama's v.p. vetting team at a certain point in the speculation. And I've decided to include Sen. Jack Reed (RI), as his strongest demurral could be seen to have been conditional, and he's a solid candidate. I may still eliminate candidates based upon their own new Shermanesque statements in the future, but I doubt that'll be much of a factor with the short time remaining. This series should run for about four more threads, subject to short-circuiting by an Obamannouncement. Here are the candidates:
Sen. Evan Bayh (IN)*
Sen. Joe Biden (MBNA)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM)*
Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH)*
Gen. (Ret.) Wesley Clark (AR)
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY)
Sen. Russ Feingold (WI)*
Fmr. Vice President Al Gore (TN)
Fmr. Sen. Bob Graham (FL)*
Gov. Tim Kaine (VA)*
Sen. Claire McCaskill (MO)*
Fmr. Sen. Sam Nunn (GA)*
Sen. Jack Reed (RI)*
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (KS)
* ELIMINATED
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM) - ROUND ONE
Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH) and Fmr. Sen. Sam Nunn (GA) - ROUND TWO
Sen. Claire McCaskill (MO) - ROUND THREE
Fmr. Sen. Bob Graham (FL) - ROUND FOUR
Gov. Tim Kaine (VA) - ROUND FIVE
Sens. Evan Bayh (IN) and Jack Reed (RI) - ROUND SIX
Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) - ROUND SEVEN
Please cast your vote, speculate away, offer new names or general ideas about how Barack Obama should pick his running mate and who it should be. You could pick your favorite of the listed names and agitate for someone else below, or vote "Other" and agitate below. Again, "You're stupid for not including..." ain't nice.
Now on to today's poll....
Thanks,
Alex
Choose Our President 2008